The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begoniaxc3x97hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Leoniexe2x80x99.
The new Begonia was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany, September, 1999, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begoniaxc3x97hiemalis xe2x80x98Peggyxe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/641,717. The new Begonia was observed as a single plant in a group of flowering plants of the parent cultivar. The selection of this plant was based on its unique flower coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar xe2x80x98Leoniexe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Leoniexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Leoniexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Begonia:
1. Compact and upright plant habit.
2. Double red-covered flowers with pale yellow centers that are held above the foliage.
3. Excellent postproduction longevity.
Plants of the new cultivar are most similar to plants of the parent cultivar. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the cultivar Peggy primarily in flower color as plants of the new Begonia have red-colored flowers with pale yellow centers whereas plants of the cultivar Peggy have dark pink and light yellow bi-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new cultivar have thicker leaves, larger flowers, and leaf petioles that are more pubescent than plants of the cultivar Peggy.
Plants of the new cultivar differ primarily from plants of the cultivar 01/2, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/911,441, in flower color as plants of the new cultivar have red-colored flowers with pale yellow centers whereas plants of the cultivar 01/2 have dark red-colored flowers with pale yellow centers.